(AFBF) — A cookout of Americans’ favorite foods for July 4th, including hot dogs, cheeseburgers, pork spare ribs, potato salad, baked beans, lemonade and watermelon, will cost just a few cents more this year, coming in at less than $6 per person, says the American Farm Bureau Federation. Farm Bureau’s informal survey reveals the average cost of a summer cookout …
Majority of U.S. Pastures are Lush and Green
Right now, more than 20-percent of the country is reporting a topsoil moisture surplus. And according to USDA meteorologist Brad Rippey, most of the pastures across the county are benefiting from excessive wetness. Rippey has details on which states have surpluses or shortages of topsoil moisture.
What’s at Stake for U.S. Beef in China
Earlier this week President Trump said he would meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in June. The announcement comes as the trade war between the two largest economies in the world grows even more intense. National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) Senior Director of International Trade and Market Access, Kent Bacus, discusses what’s at stake for U.S. beef producers and how close we …
Promising Outlook for Meat and Dairy Producers
USDA’s first forecasts for the 2020 marketing year reveals increases in both production and price for meat and dairy producers. Rod Bain reports.
Cattle Industry’s Beef Quality Assurance Program Develops, Distributes Extensive National Manual
Checkoff-Funded Effort Is a Resource for Responsible Cattle Management An official manual for the Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program that is both detailed and extensive is now being distributed nationwide throughout the cattle industry. The manual and the BQA program are both managed by the producer education team at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, a contractor to the Beef Checkoff. …
U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef Looks to the Future
This week, the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (USRSB) concluded their fifth annual General Assembly meeting in Fresno, Calif. The event brought together more than 100 stakeholders including representatives from major food and retail companies, cattle producers, veterinarians, scientists, financial service representatives and non-governmental organizations. During the meeting, they adopted and launched the U.S. Beef Industry Sustainability Framework, the first-ever resource that …
Meet Chuck, the Virtual Beef Assistant
The beef industry is going high-tech when it comes to promoting its products. The “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner” brand is launching what it calls a “beef virtual assistant.” Chuck Knows Beef is powered by Google artificial intelligence and brings together a rancher’s knowledge, a chef’s expertise, and the humor of the average dad into kitchens across the country. The …
Alabama Beef 101 Courses
The Alabama Beef Checkoff has been busy this month sponsoring Beef 101 courses. Ali Cantrell, Alabama Cattlemen’s Association director of education and outreach, notes that three courses have taken place.
Annual Survey Finds 80% of Producers Believe Beef Checkoff Drives Beef Demand
Eighty percent of beef producers nationwide say the Beef Checkoff Program helps drive demand for beef. That is one major finding from a recent Producer Attitude Survey commissioned by the Checkoff – and conducted and reviewed by a third-party, independent research firm – to gauge beef producers’ awareness, overall sentiment and concerns about the program. Completed in January, the survey …
Adjustments in Meat Production and Price Estimates
What were some of the reasons behind changes in USDA’s latest outlooks for meat production and prices? Rod Bain has a story that answers that question. World Agricultural Outlook Board Chair Seth Meyer discusses USDA’s latest look at dairy production and price estimates.